A Travel Writer’s Feast—The ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 in Cebu, Philippines

Ifugao Province Filipino farmhands watching the rice grow – acting as human scarecrows (THE ORIGINAL BOONDOCKS story link below)

As a travel writer who’s been making a living globetrotting for 35 years, I’ve never been a fan of travel industry conferences—except for the annual ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF). ASEAN is the acronym for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ATF promotes tourism in the 10 exotic countries that make up Southeast Asia. I’ve been attending ATF since 2000, and it has become the lynchpin of my neverending attachment to this region. Previous ATF’s in the Philippines led to the creation of many stories, including two of my favorites, A Filipino ‘Journey’ and The Original Boondocks. 

This January 28-30, 2026, ATF lands on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. Cebu, the “Queen City of the South,” is renowned for its historical landmarks, scenic landscapes and seascapes, and thrilling underwater adventures. Cebu brings together its rich heritage, strong tourism infrastructure, and strategic location in the Visayas region to welcome delegates from across the region.

Part of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 is The ASEAN Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), a business platform designed for ASEAN buyers and sellers to connect with each other and explore a diverse range of destination products and services. It is the perfect avenue to forge new business partnerships through pre-scheduled appointments.

There are also 10 media briefings representing each country in Southeast Asia. Media Briefings by ASEAN NTOs provide the latest insights and first-hand updates on the latest developments, visitor statistics, future strategies, and new tourism products from all 10 ASEAN member states.

At ATF, there are networking opportunities beyond the exhibition floor that extend conversations into informal settings with opportunities to engage industry peers and function hosts at hosted luncheons/dinner and late night functions. Once again and 26 years on, ATF provides a unique opportunity to exchange insights on current and future trends and explore the future of the Southeast Asian tourism industry.

I’ll let you know how it goes, and what I discover afterwards!

For more information visit ATFPhilippines.com.

Filipino singer Arnel Pineda before he became the lead singer for Jouney (A FILIPINO ‘JOURNEY’ story link above)